Recognizing and Seizing the Teachable Moment

All medical educators have experienced "teachable moments" during their career, and most can likely share examples of these moments from both training and their role as educators. In addition, most if not all have faced a situation in which an educational opportunity fell short or was missed entirely. This View from the Association of Pediatric Program Directors is designed to help pediatric medical educators recognize these teachable moments and feel better prepared to seize them when they arise. First, the authors collate definitions of the "teachable moment" from a variety of sources into 1 coherent definition, using common themes of shared responsibility between educator and learner, spontaneity, consideration of the learning environment, and expanding teaching into other applications. Next the authors provide methods to help educators capitalize on teachable moments when they occur, including discussing goals and expectations, building a culture of error, anticipating common errors made by learners, withholding the answer, managing time effectively, and practicing mindfulness. Numerous examples are described to further understanding. By employing these tactics, both educators and learners can maximize their ability to utilize teachable moments in a variety of clinical settings.